Pump plunger



Jan. 12, 1932.

J. G. DYER ET AL 3 PUMP PLUNGER Filed Nov. 5, 1928 Patented Jan. 12, 1932 UNTED STATES PATENT FFECE PUMP PLUNGER,

Application filed November 3, 1928. Serial No. 31%,930.

Our invention relates to plungers for use in reciprocating pumps, provided particularly in deep well pumping operations.

It is an object of our invention to provide a pump plunger adapted to work in deep wells wherein the packing members upon the plunger are simple and durable in construction and therefore adapted to wear for long periods of time without necessitating removal from the well.

It is a further object to provide in a pump of this character a means for forming a fluid seal' so as to prevent leakage past the packing members in use.

It is also desired to provide a plunger which is capable of being easily extended to any desired length, depending upon the load of the fluid being pumped.

In the drawings herewith, Fig. 1 shows a 90 pump plunger embodying our invention, said plunger being shown in a pump barrel, the parts being largely in central vertical section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section 1-" taken on the plane 22 of Fig. 1.

As will be seen from the drawings, our plunger is of exceedingly simple construction. It is shown as being fitted within a pump barrel 1. It comprises a tube 2, materially smaller in diameter than the pump barrel and, although it is shown in the drawings as being made in sections, it is to be understood that this tube may be a continuous section of pipe of the desired length. The upper end of the tube is connected with a valve cage 3 of ordinary construction having a ball valve 4 therein, and connected at its upper end to a sucker rod 5.

The lower end of the tube may also be provided with a valve cage, if desired, and we have shown a' cage 6 having a ball valve 7 therein, the said valve being limited in its upward movement by a cross pin 8. The two valves are upwardly opening valves, the upper valve serving to take some of the load of the fluid in the upper portion of the tubing off of the lower valve and prevent the settling of sand around sa d valve.

Our plunger is provided with packing means of simple form. Each unit of this packing construction comprises a sleeve 9, adapted to fit closely against the pump barrel, and spaced from the tube 2, providing a fluid chamber between the sleeve and the tube. Each sleeve is provided, between its ends, with an inwardly extending boss or flange 10, which is threaded to en age the tube, to which it is thereby rigidly connected. li e prefer to form this connecting flange 1O somewhat below the middle point of the sleeve, thereby providing an upwardly extending cup 11 and a downwardly extending cup 12, the upper cup 11 being longer than the lower cup. Each cup is beveled I at 13 at its ends so as to have a scraping contact with the barrel to prevent sand from engaging between the sleeve and the barrel. lVith the sleeve mounted on the tube as above described the sleeve is more or less flexible with respect to the tube 2. This is a feature of advantage as slight irregularities in the working barrel will readily be passed over by the sleeve and any misalignment of the working barrel with respect to the plungor does not cause leakage past the sealing sleeve. The sleeve is allowed to fleX and is adapted for limited lateral movement so that it does not present a rigid surface which might cause scoring of both the sleeve and barrel.

The packin cups thus provided may be as many in number as desired. Usually two or more are needed to properly preserve a seal between the plunger and the barrel although in shallow wells but one unit may be suflicient. e have shown three separate units in the plunger disclosed in the drawings. It will be noted that the adjacent sleeves forming the packing members are spaced apart at their adjacent ends, as shown at it, to allow fluid from within the said cups contact with the barrel. In order to provide a suflicient quantity of fluid to term seal within the cups, and between the adjacent ends thereof, we provide openings 15 leading from the tube to the space between the adjacent ends of the cups. By so doing. fluid is forced with some pressure from the tube into the space within the cups on the upward stroke of the plunger, and this serves not only to provide a fluid seal, tending to prevent leakage past the plunger and between the same and the barrel, but also serves to lubricate the barrel and to assist in washing the sand, which might otherwise engage between the packing means and the barrel, away from the barrel and into the upper ends of the cups, and it is to receive this sand that the upper cups are made longer than the lower ones.

e have found that a plunger thus constructed will not only maintain a tight sealbut this seal will be preserved for materially longer periods than the ordinary type of packing cups. It is simple in construction and therefore economical to manufacture and this also is a material advantage in our type of pump.

Having thus disclosed the invention, what we claim asnew is:

1. In a pump, a pump barrel, a plunger adapted to reciprocate therein, said plunger including a central tube, a valve controlling the passage therethrough, sleeves centrally fastened on said tube to fit said barrel, each of said sleeves having cups arranged to extend alternately upwardly and downwardly, the edges of adjacent cups being spaced from each other and from said tube.

2. In a. pump, a pump barrel, a plunger adapted to reciprocate therein, said plunger including a central tube, a. valve controlling the passage therethrough, cups on said tube to fit said barrel, said cups being arranged so that adjacent cups extend in opposite directions with their adjacent ends spaced apart to include a fluid space between them and betweensaid tube and. barrel, and asingle base for the two abutting cups.

3. In a pump, a pump barrel, a plunger adapted to reciprocate therein, said plunger including a central tube, a valvev controlling the passage therethrough, sleeves on said tube to. fit said barrel, said sleeves being arranged so that adjacent ends form cups which extend in opposite directions with their adjacent ends spaced apart to include a fluid space between them and between said tube and barrel, said tube being arranged to discharge liquid into said fluid space during operation.

4. In a pump, a pump barrel, a. plunger adapted to reciprocate therein, said plunger including a central tube, a valve controlling the passage therethrough, sleeves on said tube to fit said barrel, said sleeves being'arranged so that adjacent ends extend in opposite directions with adjacent sleeve ends spaced apart to include a fluid space between them and between said tube and barrel, and a central flange in each of said" sleeves whereby it-is secured to said tube.

5. In a pump, a pump barrel, a plunger adapted to reciprocate therein, said plunger including a central tube, a valve controlling thepassage therethrough, sleeves on said tube to fit said barrel, each sleeve comprising a metal tubular member spaced from said tube except at a point intermediate the ends thereof where it is threaded for attachment to said tube, the adjacent ends of said sleeves being spaced apart.

6. In a pump, pump barrel, a plunger adapted to reciprocate therein, said plunger including a central tube, a valve controlling the passage therethrough, sealing sleeves on said tube to fit said barrel, said sealing sleeves comprising a tubular metal member spaced from said tube except at a point intermediate'the ends thereof where it is attached to said tube, the adjacent ends of said sleeves being spaced apart, and means to discharge liquid between the said adjacent ends.

7 In a pump, a pump barrel, a plunger adapted to reciprocate therein, said plunger including a central tube, a valve controlling the passage therethrough, cups on said tube to fit said barrel, each abutting pair of said cups comprising a sleeve of metal spaced from said tube except at a point intermediate the ends thereof where it is threaded for attachment to said tube, the adjacent ends of said sleeves being spaced apart, there being a fluid opening into the space between said cups for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures-this 23 day of October, A. D.

JOSEPH G. DYER. HERBERT FULLER. 

